Salt of Her Tears
by Kaline Reine
Summary: Suna has purchased land from Konoha. Land to be used for a salt mine... Temari was put in charge of the mining and... They find Hidan. Shikamaru... is pissed. Yeah. You'll see. Fic is better than the summary, I promise! This fic was inspired by salt..
1. Chapter 1

**Salt of Her Tears  
Story # 0100  
By Kaline Reine**

**WARNINGS: This is somewhat of an adult fic. You may or may not like the pairings. If not, then oh well I can't please everyone. There might be lemon in later chapters. I can tell you that it is not what it seems at first. I can also tell you that I am INSANE because this fic was inspired by watching an hour-long documentary about salt! SALT! Yes... I know. Run while you still can.**

**Disclaimer: I no ownies Kishi's stuffs. :P (Translation from Fangirl to English: I do not own any of the wonderful characters or settings created by the talented artist Masashi Kishimoto.)**

**Chapter 1: Shit**

Hinata was worried that her father would be angry. She was already running late, and it was bad enough that Neji was waiting for her. Though it's not like it would have mattered much if she _was_ late. The Leaf Village hadn't seen much business at all lately. There were no missions for anyone to go on, which meant that money was tight right now. But alternatively, it meant that everyone had tons of free time to do whatever they wished.

Frail hands grasped at the hem of her purple jacket, straightening it over her plain black pants. She was nervous about learning this new technique. Even Neji, the prodigy of the Hyuuga clan, hadn't learned to perfect it yet. Long black hair swished behind her as she ran to catch up with him.

"S-sorry, N-neji-san," She panted. "I d-didn't mean to be l-late."

He just looked forward, his face serious as always. "It's alright. But we've got to hurry. Hiashi-sama wanted you to master this technique before you go on your next mission."

She nodded, and they made their way into the forest that surrounded Konohagakure. It was a peaceful morning, and a joy to be out in this kind of weather.

And soon they were practicing, the breeze lightly stirring through the trees, as both Hyuugas concentrated on the ground.

"The key is to try to concentrate not on the ground, but on what is below it," Neji was saying. "Let your eyes go out of focus, and you will see just a bit more."

"I c-can see it!" Hinata exclaimed happily.

"It worked? That fast?"

It was odd. The heiress to the clan was usually slow and clumsy with everything. And here she was, outdoing Neji, the prodigy. This was highly unusual. But he was doing alright with the new jutsu too. They were trying to learn to see underground. They could detect enemy landmines in this way, and also help find other shinobi that had buried, or perhaps even traps along the way to a mission. There were all kinds of reasons they wanted to learn this.

"There's s-something there. N-neji, d-do you s-see it?"

"Yeah, I do. It looks like some kind of mineral deposit of some sort."

"Rocks?" She asked timidly.

"No, it looks more like... salt."

Hinata had no clue why this mattered, but she tried to focus on it. Neji seemed to be doing better than her after all, if he could identify what it was. There were various rocks and debris buried down there as well, but nothing of interest.

There was a huge cluster of... whatever it was. And solid white. It even looked like it led up to the surface in a few places.

"Wh-what do we do?" She asked.

"Let's go inform the Hokage."

"O-okay..."

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"You found _what_?!" Tsunade was shocked, her long blonde pigtails flying as she stood straight up from her desk.

Neji was the one to speak, since he could do it more clearly. "We were practicing a new jutsu using our Byakuugan. And we discovered a very large salt deposit under Konoha."

"Which sector were you in?" Neji gave her the coordinates and she took a moment to consider it. "That's excellent but... I'm afraid we can't mine there. That falls on the Nara clan's property."

It just so happened that among the Ninja villages, salt was traded pound for pound with gold. It was a vital source of income where it could be found, and it had so many uses. People would pay a high price for something that was so sought after.

"Y-you mean it's p-part of their d-deer reserve?" Hinata asked shyly.

"Exactly. But maybe they would be persuaded to sell it."

Neji almost laughed. "No wonder all the deer stay there without a hassle. That place must be a natural salt lick. That's why they never try to leave the boundaries."

"Good point..." Tsunade was sitting down again, and she had her fingers laced together, resting her chin on them lightly. "But if Konoha could sell that area... to a mining company or something... we could be rich!"

"That's true," Neji stated dully. He was actually getting bored with all of this. "Well I felt that we should report it to you, Hokage-sama. Hinata-chan and I will go train someplace else."

"Yes, alright. Thanks, both of you."

They bowed and were let out of the office by the Tsunade's assistant. The two disappeared down the hall, leaving a very happy Hokage behind.

"Shizune! Do you know what this means?!" The blonde inquired, excitement showing in her tone.

"Tsunade-sama?"

"We will have an answer to our problems! If we can get the Nara clan to sell that section of their land to us, that is."

Shizune, being a reasonable woman, disagreed. "I doubt they will. I mean, Neji-san and Hinata-chan weren't even supposed to be on their property. They didn't know, but I'm sure the Naras will-"

"Shut up, Shizune. You talk too much," The Hokage stated flatly.

"And do we even have anyone who would be willing to buy that from us? As much as it costs?"

"I know of one potential buyer."

Shizune's eyes lit up with curiousity. Tsunade had her, then. She knew her assistant's weakness. "Who is it?" She asked all-too-eagerly.

"I'll only tell you if you do me a favor. Take Tonton and go over to the Nara's place at once. Ask them if they would mind selling it. I'll draw up a contract with the coordinates. It should only be roughly one-fourth of the land they own, and we can compensate them the minute it sells."

"I still don't think they'd like people mining so close to their property," She recieved a glare from the Hokage, as she was about to exit the office. "Alright, I'm going!"

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_'Just my luck,'_ Shizune thought. _'Of all the people it could be... I end up having to deal with Shikaku...'_

Shikamaru's Dad was a scary man. He had answered the door with that permanent scowl already on his face. She had asked to speak with Shikamaru, but it appeared he wasn't in. He was the most reasonable of his clan, but unfortunately now poor Shizune was forced to deal with this dreadful man.

"I was sent here on behalf of Hokage-sama," She hoped this would work. Hopefully he wouldn't yell at her. Shizune hated being yelled at, above all else. "But we received a report from the Hyuugas stating they had found something extremely valuable on your property."

"And what were they doing on our property in the first place?"

"Oh wow, you sound mad... Well you see uh..."

Tsunade stepped into the room. Shikaku's wife had let her in. "Shizune-san, I knew you couldn't be trusted with such an important endeavor. Now, Shikaku-san... I am basically ordering that you are to sell us your land. As Hokage, I can do that. But in return, we are prepared to give you-"

"Wait, hold on," He held up a hand to silence them, before tugging at his beard nervously. "Just what was it they found on our land?"

"Salt," The busty blonde smiled brightly, while Shizune and Shikaku both just shrugged. They didn't get it. "And we are prepared to pay you a large sum of money when we sell it to miners. We will give you Twenty percent, and that's after we purchase it from you."

Shikaku had a thoughtful look for a moment. There was no else he needed to consult. And even if he did, the Hokage was ordering him to sell it to her. He had no choice. So rather than argue, he decided it would be best to keep his dignity.

"I see... Well that sounds like a fair deal to me."

"Perfect," Tsunade offered him a triumphant smile. "I'll draw up a contract, and have Shizune bring it out to you within the hour."

That being said, the two troublesome women made their way back to their office.

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Shikaku thought everything would be fine... That is until Shikamaru came back from training with his team mates. He was acting tired and lazy, as usual, and had his signature look of pure indifference that he wore like a mask.

It was dinner time and their whole family had gathered around the table. Shikaku's wife was rambling on about something else which no one paid attention to, as usual. She was so troublesome...

He didn't know how to address this particular problem, so he just spat it out. "I sold about a quarter of our land today."

Shikamaru reacted with a heavy sigh. "Which section?" When he heard the coordinates, he happened to be taking a drink at the moment. It ended up being sprayed across the table. "That's where _he_ is buried!"

"Who?" The boy's mother wanted to know. Now there would be no keeping it from her.

"There was a shinobi that I couldn't kill," The young Nara tried to think of a way to explain it without having to go through the trouble of so many words. "He is buried out there. In _pieces_. He's immortal."

Everyone was silent for a long time. Then finally, Shikaku spoke. "Hmm... Well that's going to be a problem. We sort of... sold him."

Shikamaru's eyes went wide. "You already made the deal?!" The normally lazy Ninja was having a fit. "You _have_ to go back on it! We have to stop them, we-"

"Shikamaru! Calm down," His father spoke in a very calm, even tone. "It's a done deal. And I was practically forced into it by the Hokage herself. So it's too late. But all you need to do is go tell her tomorrow. It's no big deal."

"How is not a big deal?!"

"Simple. Now he's_ their_ problem." Shikaku chuckled.

Shikamaru got up and left the dinner table, leaving his food untouched. His parents' gazes followed the troubled boy all the way to his room. They wanted to talk to him, but he just had to be alone right now.

"All that trouble..." He muttered, setting up a shougi board. It was how he dealt with most of his problems. Ever since Asuma died, it hadn't been the same. "I went through all that to avenge me sensei... And they screw it up! He'll get out, he'll... Try to kill me."

This was indeed a very big problem he would face. And what if Tsunade sold their little piece of land to the wrong person? He would make sure that was the first thing he did tomorrow. He would tell her that they had to find another way to destroy him. One way or another, there would be hell to pay, that was for sure.

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After a night of fitful sleep, having barely managed to dance on the very edge of unconsciousness, Shikamaru made his way straight to the Hokage's office. Something had to be done, before it was too late. He wanted to run all the way there, but could not risk alarming people.

Each step he took was painstaking. He had to use an enormous amount of self-restraint just to keep from sprinting through the door. When at last he did make it, Tsunade looked as calm as ever.

"I had a feeling you might be here, Shikamaru-san," She said in a voice that was expectant, yet calm.

"I came here to tell you that my father made a huge mistake. We can't sell that land to you."

She laughed- actually had the audacity to _laugh_- at him! This stubborn, obstinate woman was trying his patience. "It's already been sold."

"To who?!"

"To Sunagakure."

"...Oh. _Shit_."

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**A/N: Before you go thinking it, this is NOT a HidanXHinata fic although I do love that pairing and there will be a fic like that later on. The pairing will be revealed in due time. Yeah I am inspired by the strangest, oddest things. I was watching an hour-long documentary on salt, on the history channel a few days ago... And I came up with a plot from it. I hate the way my brain works. S.A.L.T. can also stand for Sexy Akatsuki Licking Time. Yeah... *stabs brain with fork* I know. I'm such a geek. RUN!!! I actually did a lot of research for this fic so I have you have fun with it! I can't help but feel that maybe Shikamaru is a little bit out of character here?**

**-Kaline Reine**


	2. Chapter 2

**Salt of Her Tears  
Story # 0100  
By Kaline Reine**

**WARNINGS: This is somewhat of an adult fic. You may or may not like the pairings. If not, then oh well I can't please everyone. There might be lemon in later chapters. I can tell you that it is not what it seems at first. I can also tell you that I am INSANE because this fic was inspired by watching an hour-long documentary about salt! SALT! Yes... I know. Run while you still can.**

**Disclaimer: I no ownies Kishi's stuffs. :P (Translation from Fangirl to English: I do not own any of the wonderful characters or settings created by the talented artist Masashi Kishimoto.)**

**Chapter 2: Fallen Kunoichi**

"We've already informed them of the... situation," Tsunade assured him.

"But that's not good enough, he-"

She glared at him icily. "I'm aware. But look at it this way... Now he is Suna's responsibility to worry about. And after what Akatsuki did to the Kazekage, I doubt the Sand Village would allow a former member to slip through their fingertips."

Shikamaru let out a heavy sigh. "But he was supposed to stay there, it was my-"

"Revenge?" She smirked. "Think carefully, Shikamaru-san. Don't you think you sound a little bit like Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Just because we both have an interest in revenge? This is different... He's a former Akatsuki member! He killed my sensei! And I didn't run off to join Orochimaru, either!"

"Sasuke-san's brother is a current member of Akatsuki," Sakura spoke up. He hadn't realized that she was in the room until after he was in the middle of his all-important conversation with the Hokage. "And for your information, Nara... He killed Sasuke's _entire clan_. So I think he had better reasons than you to want revenge."

Shikamaru smirked. This was going to be easy. "And yet you have stopped referring to him as 'your precious Sasuke-kun' I've noticed. _'Sasuke-san'_? When did _that_ happen?" It was a cheap shot, but she deserved it.

He was being a total ass, and Tsunade still took pity on him. The Nara boy was not usually this quick-tempered, she noted. It was simply because digging up the grave of his arch-enemy had awakened in him all those old emotions, long-since buried.

But enough was enough. He would just have to get over it. Still she sat, in her petty little office, with that smile painted on her face with pink lipstick. Her cheap plastic nails glistening in the morning sun. Her amber eyes sparkled as she told him the glorious news.

"I've already seen to it that he was taken care of. It seems this Hidan person is dead."

Shikamaru didn't know what to make of that. "But that's... It can't- you... No, I- he-"

Sakura giggled from the corner. It looked like she was covering for Shizune today. Great, that was just what Shikamaru needed. For the whole village to know what was going on with him.

"That man can't die! He's immortal!"

"If I read the reports correctly," Tsunade bowed her head as if she were about to reveal some all-important information. "And I am certain that I _did_... He had to kill, in order to remain alive, and to keep his immortality. Being buried he was unable to do that. And the ANBU I sent have confirmed his death."

Shikamaru just nodded, but his expression showed his unacceptance. he would never accept the fact that Hidan was dead. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but more like he was unable to do so. It just wasn't right; wasn't natural for an immortal man to die... All because of his petty need for revenge. Deep down, the Nara boy hadn't wanted him to die. He had only wanted him to suffer.

"Have a nice day," Tsunade waved him on his way.

Sakura looked pitiably at him. She knew it was hard. She wanted to say something, but couldn't bring herself to find the words, so she watched him leave, defeated.

The deed was already done. She had seen the Hokage send a messenger bird with a contract and details on their findings straight to Sunakagure. The Kazekage had responded with a check for slightly more than the amount requested, and all the paperwork was signed. Suna was eager for such an oppurtunity, it seemed.

The reason for selling the land containing the salt was simple. Konoha couldn't afford to mine it. They had no equipment, and no resources like Suna did. Therefore, re-selling the land was the only option that made sense.

"Why didn't you tell him the truth?" The teal-eyed girl asked her sensei.

"He wouldn't have been able to handle it," Tsunade remarked, casually, taking a sip of sake to steady her nerves.

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_'Run!'_ The blonde girl was running, being chased by someone. She didn't know who they were; she couldn't see them at all. If she dared to look back for even a moment, she was be done for. _'A heartbeat...'_ She could feel her heart beat faster with every step her feet took. _'Frantic.'_ One in the front of the other, they worked at a frantic pace to get her out of danger.

_'Fear.'_ Her breathing was labored, as the adrenaline, and something else, pumped through her veins. She had already seen her comrades fall in battle. If one of their weapons afflicted her, that would be the end. _'Death.'_ There was no antidote for this. The battle scene looked horrifying. So many corpses lay fallen. _'I am surrounded by it...'_ These were the people she cared about, ones that she had known and worked with ever since she became a Kunoichi.

And now they were dead. _'Hurry.'_ She would be too if she didn't hurry up. She prayed to whatever god that would listen that she didn't get trapped in their genjutsu. _'Please!'_ These were a fierce and powerful enemy, and she was but a frail mortal girl.

_'Please just let me make it on time.'_

Temari ran into Kankuro, just in time for him to subdue them with his puppets. Their poison was far greater than what her opponents were using. The girl fell to the ground within seconds of being rescued.

_'Darkness...'_

She was unconscious.

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The next thing she felt were the skillful hands of the Medical Ninjas, making sure she was in a stable condition. No one was allowed in to see her, yet they could not keep the Kazekage away. This was his sister, and he had vowed to "crush every last bone in their worthless bodies" if they did not allow him entry.

Gaara stood over her, watching like some kind of sinister angel from afar, as she recovered. It was with grace that the defeated girl had arisen, looking around, terrfied.

"What happened to me?"

"You were almost killed," Gaara was the one to tell her. Everyone else was too busy healing her. "Kankuro-kun saved you from them, but there will be... after effects. I wanted to see you in my office anyway. See me there when you're able to."

He left. Like a swirl of sand being strewn about by the desert winds, he was gone. Temari was confused. She knew that her older brother, Kankuro, would no doubt be waiting for her just outside. The redheaded Kazekage was the only one they could not deny entry to the operating room during an emergency procedure.

Her head began to pound, and someone told her to lie back down. She wasn't healed yet. Apparently they had already told her little brother everything, and would let him tell her later. It was also an incentive to make her go to his office in the first place.

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She spent three more days in the hospital. Her motor skills had been drastically reduced, and sometimes she would fall asleep very suddenly. It was like she was fainting, but a little different. The Medic Nins assigned to her treated her day and night. She had so many cuts and wounds that they still had to heal. The enemy had really done a number on her this time. But she had stood her ground, and fought them bravely, being the only one to survive that mission. And she just counted herself lucky that Kankuro had shown up when he had.

Finally the day came for her release. Temari filled out the necessary paperwork, and left without a word. She was not exactly known for her kindness or gratitude, but rather her attitude. But in the end, everyone always forgave her. Growing up with a Sand Demon living inside your little brother would toughen anyone up.

"I'm here," She said simply, standing in front of said little brother, who was now minus the Sand Demon, Shukaku. That had been handled by Akatsuki, and in a way Temari was grateful to them for that... Though she had never told anyone.

"You won't be going on any missions for a very long time, Temari-nee-chan," Gaara was a man who rarely used affection when speaking to people. But this was different. And it instantly alerted her to the fact that something was very wrong here.

"What do you mean?"

"You were lucky to survive... But there is no antidote for the poison they used on you. From now on, you will have blackout spells. They may even get worse than they are now. And they can strike at any time, without warning. You may also suffer from severe paranoia, and other things."

Kankuro stepped into the room. Only he was different; he wasn't wearing any of his war paint. He seemed to know what was going on, though as far as Temari knew, the medics hadn't let him in to see her. A hand on her shoulder fully alerted her to his presence.

"Hey," Her big brother smield at her sweetly. "It's gonna be okay, you know. Hang in there, Nee-chan."

"A-are you saying I... I can't... I'm not a Kunoichi anymore?"

And just like that... Temari's world came crashing down around her. She had long ago hardened her heart to the world. But this was different, this was... new. She had learned to love fighting. The thrill of the battle; the adrenaline that rushed through her body when she made a kill. And now that too was being taken from her.

She'd grown up afraid of her little brother... But who hadn't been, back then? And Gaara's powers were so frightening, she had always had to run and hide from Shukaku. But once he was gone, she still behaved the same way. Such a traumatic childhood had damaged her. But in a way, it had damaged the entire village.

"Perhaps," Gaara nodded, his ice blue eyes gazing at her intently. "But for now I am reassigning you."

"You can't do that, I-"

He didn't let her finish. He'd known her all his life, this was more than just another random Ninja he had to order around. This was Temari, his big sister. "I know you won't like it. But I do have a very important mission for you. It won't involve fighting, but overseeing a new mine."

"A mine?" The girl looked at the village leader like he was completely crazy. And in a way he was. "There's no mine in Suna."

"I didn't say it was in Suna."

"But we don't own any mines..."

Gaara smiled evilly. "We do now."

Kankuro was looking on, with interest. This news probably pertained to him as well. Typically, he and Temari would work as a team. And he knew that the youngest of the sand siblings would not ask her to go it alone. Especially not in her condition.

But Temari... was awestruck. She didn't know what to say. She never thought she'd be asked to do this type of work. She had no idea how to run a mine, but she would give it her best. She wouldn't let this new problem get the best of her.

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When he'd handed her the paperwork, she wasn't exactly happy about it. But Temari knew that it was, in some ways, necessary. She felt weak, both in body and in spirit. And as if that wasn't enough, they had already started on the mine that she was supposed to be overseeing.

On the plus side, she would get to see her long-time friend, Shikamaru, again. They had fought each other during the Chuunin Exams, and had maintained a business-level sort of friendship since then. Over all, he was a nice guy. Temari didn't have any overly friendly feelings for him, but it would be nice to catch up again. She saw him as more of a competitor than anything else. And she knew it was a weird relationship to have... Definetely not normal for a girl her age.

The ruthless Kunoichi had never really been interested in love. Her love life was literally non-existant. She had never known such feelings before. She did feel a certain kind of affection for her brothers, but that was different. Temari had never known true romantic love before... Not that she particularly wanted to.

It made her angry, in some ways, that they had started the construction of the new mine without her. But Temari had been in the hospital, so that was somewhat understandable. It just irked her for some reason. And she felt like maybe Gaara wasn't giving her all the details about it; like he was leaving something out.

"Nii-san?" She turned to find an already-very-tired Kankuro behind her. He was complete with his black cat hoodie, and face paint. "What are you doing here?"

"Kazekage-sama sent me to help you, remember? You left without me, Nee-chan. What if yuo had fainted on the way here?"

She smirked. "Then I guess you would have come across my corpse on your way here. Who cares? I don't need your help, or anyone else's."

She was in one of her stubborn 'I'm-so-much-better-than-you' moods. Kankuro left her alone. He would just be there in case something bad happened. That was all. it would definetely be best for him to just stand back, and let her work. There would be no stopping her, anyway.

A worker brought her a copy of the blueprints for the first mining shaft. It would start in Suna's territory, and from there it would tunnel underground to where the salt was discovered. It looked pretty simple.

"So basically all I have to do is oversee this?" She asked. The worker nodded. "That should be easy."

"If we have any problems," The young man spoke up. "We'll see you about it. That's what Kazekage-sama told us to do."

"That's fine," She waved him off and turned to Kankuro. His only mission was to watch her, and so far he had found a nice sandy spot to sit down, and work on his puppets. "Hey lazy, did you bring any food with you?"

"Hai."

"What about water?"

"Hai."

"Can I have some of it?"

"No."

"You're an asshole." She took out a bottle of her own water, and had a drink.

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It was the second day she had to come all the way out here. Temari hadn't had to do much, and the boredom was killing her. She'd recieved the other five sets of blueprints already. Once they had finished the main tunnel, the others which branched off from it were easy.

She would be able to find her way around... after walking through it a few times to memorize where things were.

And within two weeks... There was salt. The mining operation was a success. No one had been injured, and there hadn't been any serious mishaps. Temari had only fainted a few times, and Kankuro or one of the miners would help her when it happened.

It happened very rarely, and she hadn't fainted in a while. Kankuro was needed in a very important mission back in Suna. So Gaara had trusted that his big sister could take care of herself. Temari was always so independent anyway...

She walked through the mine, trying to make it down to the level where the miners were currently working. She needed to tell them to take a break. But then she started to question where she was. Unfolding the map, the Kunoichi tried to get her bearings. It didn't really help. her heart began to beat a little more frantically when she realized that she was lost. Temari knew it could just be her mind playing tricks on her again, but she could have sworn that she heard footsteps coming near her. She wanted to scream, but if she was too loud, it could cause a cave-in.

"Who's there?" She asked in a voice just barely above a whisper.

There was no answer, but it was pitch-black where she was, and the footsteps were getting closer. The torches that lined the walls of the main tunnel were too far away to provide any light. This passageway was not lit, which meant it hadn't been used in a while.

Her adrenaline pumped faster, while a tall figure approached her. To her shock, they came not from the way she had, but from the direction she was going.

"Who are you?" Fearful emerald eyes looked up at a man she had never seen before. He was definetely not from Suna...

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**A/N: Well this was somewhat of a twist... maybe. What secret is Tsunade hiding? I might let it out in the next chapter. IDK, we'll see. Ever notice how I always have something to say at the end of each chapter? I finally worked Temari into the plotline, hahaha! This fic will keep you guessing for a while! I just hope it's not too confusing. Yet. I am sorry Hidan hasn't really been in this yet, but the first two chapters were not only setting the story up, but also helping me get a feel for the characters, since I don't exactly write them a lot. Hidan and Temari are two of my favorites, but up until now I have not been inspired to do a fic about them. So... The madness begins soon. And I mean that in every possible way!**

**-Kaline Reine**


	3. Chapter 3

**Salt of Her Tears Story # 0100 By Kaline Reine**

**WARNINGS: This is somewhat of an adult fic. You may or may not like the pairings. If not, then oh well I can't please everyone. There might be lemon in later chapters. I can tell you that it is not what it seems at first. I can also tell you that I am INSANE because this fic was inspired by watching an hour-long documentary about salt! SALT! Yes... I know. Run while you still can.**

**Disclaimer: I no ownies Kishi's stuffs. :P (Translation from Fangirl to English: I do not own any of the wonderful characters or settings created by the talented artist Masashi Kishimoto.)**

**Chapter 3: Falling**

He had stayed there, waiting for the longest time. He waited for some chance, some great happening to occur. But there was nothing. Just the dreadful silence, and the occassional sounds from up above.

His body lie in ruin; tattered pieces of his former self lie scattered about. Every day he would pray to his god, hoping there would be a way to escape his fate. Long ago, he should have died... But somehow his resilient spirit lingered on. Sometimes he wished that he _would_ die... But through it all, he whole-heartedly believed that there was some reason he was being allowed to live. A divine calling, or some other vague purpose that kept life in his heart, long after it had stopped beating.

There was nothing left here for him to hold onto, yet his body still clung to it's everlasting life. Through whatever means necessary, the man survived. Against all odds, he existed.

Soon he found himslef back together. The sands had receded enough so that his body parts found themselves entangled. It was only a few at first, small fragments of his bruised and scorched hands, but at last he had enough to piece the rest of him back together. It was a time-consuming task, but he knew they would never think him capable.

By the time anyone knew, they would think his flesh had rotted. They were wrong.

He found his way into a tunnel. It was very old, and he thought that perhaps it would lead to a way out of this dreadful place. Instead he found himslef at a dead end. This long and dark tunnel that he used to travel clearly used to belong to an old mine. But what had they been mining here in fire country, all those years ago? It had been abandoned for quite some time. The exit was blocked and there was no way out.

The man tried to find his way out, to go back the way he came, but he hadn't bothered to remember the way he had come. He had instead naturally assumed that this twisted maze of underground tunnels indeed led somewhere. In a manner of speaking, he was trapped. He was screwed.

"Oh. _Fuck_."

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She trembled with fear, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. After that last battle, the normally headstrong, fearless Kunoichi had grown timid.

He didn't know her, but the silver-haired man knew that she was afraid of him. The Jashinist could smell the fear on her. He had escaped all of that, and somehow found himself back together... For this? Just so he could scare the hell out of some poor girl? Surely this wasn't why he was here... Then why did he feel drawn to her?

"Who the hell are you?" She repeated the question. Despite her fear, her voice did not waver, allowing her to sound strong, even if she wasn't. Her pride would never let her down.

"It's none of your fucking business who I am."

He dared to move closer to her. This girl was trapped now, pressed between his smooth skin and the rough wall. But which one would she choose? Temari was uncertain which of these was the kinder agony.

"I am Temari," She kept talking. "Of the Sand. I am in charge of this mining operation. I would advise you to tell me who you are. And state your purpose here."

"And I would advise you..." The man leaned in, towering over her menacingly. "To stop asking so many fucking questions if you want to live."

Temari's fear grew, even though she tried not to show it. He recognized that look. It was the look that he saw in every sinlge victim, as he tortured them relentlessly, just before they died in a most brutal way.

The two stared at each other for a long moment. it was almost as if they were sizing each other up. Temari's fan never left her side. Unfortunately, she couldn't use it in the mine. It would kill them both, along with all the workers too if she wasn't careful. This man looked dangerous, and when she saw his cloak she cringed.

"Y-you're from Akatsuki!"

She was shivering with fright now, her adrenaline levels steadily rising in the scorching, stifling heat. That was all she remembered before another blackout spell took a fierce hold on her. She felt like she was falling, slipping further and further down. Icy fingers gripped her warm tanned skin, and she fell into a forced sleep that she did not want. Then there was darkness; a great black empty abyss.

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When she came to, she had been brought back outside. There was no one around, since they were all still in the mine. But there was no sign of that strange man either.

_'The workers...'_ She had a responsibility. _'He wouldn't kill them, would he? There's no telling how long he's been here!'_

"Evacuate!" She rushed back into the mine, darting here and there to find the correct path that led downward to the salt deposit. "Clear the mine! Everybody out!"

"Temari-sama..." One of the workers in charge came running over to her, just as another huge load of salt was blasted from the wall with explosives. "What's the problem? You look like you've just seen a ghost..."

"Nevermind! Get everyone out of here! There was an Akatsuki member! he may still be here! If you value your lives, we will all head back to Suna now."

After issuing the strict order, she and all the miners fled. The only thing on Temari's mind was getting back to Gaara and telling him exactly what had happened.

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"Which sector were you in?" He demanded to know. She told him, and he was surprised, to say the least. "No wonder. That tunnel joins some of the older ones that were dug a long time ago. It seems the ancient founders of the Hidden Leaf Village were aware of the mine's existence."

"They didn't think to tell anyone?!" Temari was offically freaked out.

"I suppose not."

"You don't even act concerned!" She pointed out, in anger. "Gaara, I could have been killed! He was an Akatsuki member!"

He turned to look out a window behind his desk, considering the scenario for a second. "Are you certain of that?"

"Yes! I saw it, he was wearing an Akatsuki cloak! And not only that, he had this... this weird thing about him that-"

"Explain 'weird thing'."

Kankuro chuckled from behind her. She shot him a look.

"Look, all I know is that he creeped me the fuck out! Are you happy now?!" Temari started to hyperventilate. When her older brother looked at her, her pupils were drawn to tiny pin points.

"Calm down," The puppetmaster warned. "It's not going to do you any good to get upset about it, Nee-chan."

"If it happened to you, you would be upset too! You didn't see the guy, Kankuro-san! He was tall... Really tall! And he had these weird eyes, and-"

Gaara interrupted her, his raspy voice immediately calling attention to himself, and commanding that they listen. "And what if it was someone who happened across an Akatsuki cloak somewhere? I mean, it doesn't have to be-"

"But he was menacing!" She protested angrily.

"It's alright, we believe you," Kankuro reminded his distraught sister. He placed a supportive hand on her shoulder, which she slapped off in disgust.

"If he was so menacing, as you say... Why are you still here?"

Even if he was the Kazekage, her little brother was starting to really tick her off. "You would have preferred me to die then? Fine, have it your way! I'm going home."

"Are you going to be-"

She slammed the door loudly, and with a slight nod from the Kazekage, Kankuro was on her heels. "Nee-chan, wait! Do you really think you should walking home alone? I mean I could atleast walk you there, for safety reasons."

"No way!" She spat, turning on him as well. "I don't want anything to do with anyone until this is sorted out. I won't return to the mine until tomorrow... Then we'll see what happens."

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Slinking along, silent and hidden in the shadows, the rogue Ninja watched her. She was beautiful, in a strange way. He could never bring himself to harm her, he realized, even if he wanted to. After watching her for this long, for this many days, he knew that he could never. She fascinated him far too much.

And for Hidan, anything that fascinated him was a very bad thing. He saw her there, just turning the corner, and he knew that he had to follow her. Hiding in the mine all this time was awful. It was nice to get away for once.

"What are you doing there?" A civilian asked, seeing him go into an alley close to where the girl was.

Hidan smiled that crazy smile of his. "You're just in time..." He mumbled.

As the idiot moved closer to him, he could sense that they were about to call for help. He couldn't let that happen, so he attacked. The man's eyes widened, as his scythe went flying at them. Blood splattered against the sand-colored walls that lined the small deserted street they were on together.

That was all it took... In a beautiful dance, the man was killed in a matter of minutes. He really didn't feel like toying with his prey today. He had much more important things to attend to. And he'd almost lost sight of his only goal in life for the time being... _Her_.

Quickly, Hidan wrapped things up and followed her.

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Determined to make her point, Temari was headed toward her house. She'd been given a rather nice home in a pleasant area of Sunagakure. She passed a few familiar faces on her way there. The marketplace was busy as usual, and the strings of people that lined the streets were larger than usual. Some were Ninjas, others just everyday civilians.

More than ever, seeing everyone again made Temari remember what it felt like to be home. She loved this village, more than anything it was dear to her. And she had long ago vowed that she would do anything necessary to protect it.

"Home at last," She sighed, and bolted the door closed behind her.

Sweaty from spending half a day in the hot desert sun, she decided that a shower was in order. She quickly stripped and stepped inside. Once she had put the shampoo in her hair, there was a sound from outside. Tap tap tap! It came from her door.

_'Someone's here!'_ That little voice inside her panicked. _'Should I answer it? I told them all to leave me alone...'_

Tap tap tap! It came again, louder this time. She didn't bother to say anything. With any luck they'd go away, and she could go back to her shower without being bothered by any of it. But for now, she needed to see who it was, if for nothing else than to satisfy her curiousity.

"Who's there?" She harshly demanded.

There was no answer. _'Hmm... Ominous.'_

Opening the door just a bit, she peeked out, just in time to see- She yelped in fear when the door was slammed violently into her, and instinctively she began to push back against it. Though the Kunoichi was strong, she was no match for this intruder, and she felt herself falling backwards, onto the plain white carpet.

Staring up at him, she realized she had never felt so small; so insignificant. He was a wonder to behold, but it raised a question in her mind, a powerful one. What did he want from her?

As if to answer her unspoken query, the man stepped into her house, locking the door behind him.

"What the hell do you want?"

Hidan thought for a moment. He wasn't even sure what exactly it was that he wanted from this girl. He'd only followed her on a mere whim. He thought that she seemed interesting. He didn't know why, though. And he didn't exactly know why he had saved her when she fainted. Normally that would been it, and easy sacrifice for his heathen god.

"I want to fucking talk to you," He stated, appearing slightly confused himself. He noticed she was only wearing a towel, and would have blushed, if he hadn't caught himself.

Temari quickly realized that this man was no real threat to her. And even if he was, there was nothing she could do about it. So she acted just the way she wanted, ignoring common sense and all safety concerns. She was a very impulsive person, when it came down to it.

"That's going to have to wait," She glared at him with hatred, as she picked herself up off the carpet. "I'm in the middle of my shower."

She walked angrily back to the bathroom, where she was before. Temari knew she needed this time to think it over. She was always one to think about things very carefully before she reacted. But as a defense mechanism, the only thing she would show to someone she perceived to be her enemy would be anger. It was almost first and foremost among her registering emotions.

And in truth, she was angry, she realized as she ran damp fingers through her soapy blonde hair. She was angry at the world for not recognizing her, she was angry at herself for not being better than she was.

Soon her shower was over, and she was so focused on her inner troubles, she had forgotten all about... What was his name again? Oh well... She'd find out soon enough.

Scampering away from him again, as he waited so patiently on her, she ran to her bedroom, hastily locking the door. Temari got dressed, before drying her hair and fixing it back into it's usual fashion. The style just worked for her, she had no real reason other than that. But what did that guy want? It was an annoying feeling that nagged at her, and just wouldn't quit... No matter how badly she wanted it, and him, to go away they just wouldn't!

"Okay so what is it?" She demanded, still showing her anger because she did not know how to deal with this problem. He was looking very carefully over the photos she had framed on the wall. "Don't look at those. They're none of your business. Why did you come here?"

"I'm not sure, to tell you the fucking truth," He cocked his head to the side, when speaking to her.

"Well you'd better hurry up and _decide _why, if you want to live! Now talk or get out!"

The silence was driving her insane. He smirked. This would be too easy. It bothered him too, and he couldn't deny that it would be nice to talk to someoen after so long. But Hidan was certainly not the most social of people, and it was glaringly obvious that she wasn't either.

"I want to stay here... with you."

"What the hell?!" She took two steps backward. Of all the things he could have said, Temari was not expecting that one. "But why?! I don't even know you!"

"I only ask nicely once," He smirked, moving closer to her. "I could have fucking killed you, back in the tunnel you know. I could have gutted you like a stuck pig. Instead, I chose to let your worthless ass live. I think you owe me your thanks, girlie."

Her rage was boiling over, and fast. Did he even realize what he just said? This was madness! Talking to her as if she were some... common civilian!

"Do you know who I am?!" She screamed at him, to cover up the pain that she felt on the inside. The pain of knowing that she was weak, if even for that one moment. She had fainted, right at the worst possible moment. She had given up, and that was something that a shinobi must never do.

"Sure, bitch. You're Temari-san."

"Don't fucking talk to me like that!"

"Then don't fucking yell at someone who wants to help you."

"_You_?!" She cried. "Help _me_?! That's just laughable. Get out of here, you moron."

Hidan could see this argument was going nowhere. "Fuck... Look, let's just start over, Temari-chan. I was lost in that god damn mine for Jashin only knows how long, and there was no way out. But then you came with your team of miners, and all... You fucking saved me from being trapped there."

She just looked at him, saying nothing. Temari had no idea what to do in this situation. The proud Kunoichi who knew everything, and flaunted it so often... She had no idea. She was stuck too. Trapped in a conversation with someone who just would not go away.

"Basically... I want to live in Suna. I'm not even a fucking member of that organization anymore. And I've been watching you... I need somewhere to stay. In exchange, I can become a Sunagakure Ninja if you want me to. I just need a fucking chance, that's all. A place to start over."

"Is that really... all?" She just stared at him, piercing green eyes like dark emerald ice. They were cold and calculating, trying to see what through to his true intentions.

Strangely, to Temari's surprise... She could find nothing wrong with what he was saying. Not a single flaw in his logic. Something was not right here. And she would get to the bottom of it, and when she did... There would be hell to pay.

"How do I know you're not lying?" She sighed heavily.

"I'm just fucking not, okay? I really don't have any other way to prove it to your stubborn ass but... I'm really not."

"I was afraid of that."

"Afraid of me? You _should_ be."

What choice did that leave her with, then?

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**A/N: This fic is greatly deviating from the way I had originally planned it, but I guess the basic idea is the same. The plot I had in mind just wasn't working for me, it was far too difficult to write. So here I have changed things a bit, but luckily it still works.**

**-Kaline Reine**


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